Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)

Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
4 hours
Rating
4(1,000)
Comments
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Pot roasts exist in many cuisines, of course, and the Italians have stracotto, which means "overcooked." Like many other roasts, this one cooks low and slow after it’s seared. But here, red wine adds depth to the tomatoes, and a smattering of fresh basil contributes to its complexity. Make this for your next Sunday supper, or on a cold winter evening.

Featured in: Cooking a Pot Roast: Four Well-Spent Hours

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 3large cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1(3-pound) rump or boneless chuck roast
  • 4tablespoons olive oil
  • 1pound onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2ribs celery, chopped
  • ½cup robust dry red wine
  • 1cup seeded, chopped plum tomatoes or well-drained canned plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¼cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

456 calories; 31 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 692 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut the garlic into thin slivers. Pierce the meat in many places with the point of a knife and insert the garlic slivers into the holes.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 3- to 4-quart heatproof casserole. Add the meat and brown it well over medium heat. Remove it from the casserole. Add the remaining oil and the onions, carrots and celery. Saute them until moderately brown.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the wine and cook for a few minutes, scraping the casserole. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and basil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and return the meat to the casserole.

  4. Step 4

    Cover tightly and cook over very low heat for at least three hours, until the meat is very tender. Turn the meat a few times during cooking.

  5. Step 5

    Remove the meat from the casserole. To serve immediately, skim the fat from the surface of the sauce, then puree the sauce in a food processor and reheat. Otherwise, refrigerate the meat and sauce overnight. Remove any congealed fat from the sauce and puree the sauce in a food processor. Reheat the meat in the sauce before serving.

Tip
  • When ready to serve, cut the roast diagonally, against the grain.

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Comments

Very tasty dish! I used a rump roast (less fat to deal with in the end compared to chuck), which turned out exceedingly succulent and tender. I also cooked this in a 250-degree oven after step 3 for about 3 1/2 hours (less worry about burning the sauce on the bottom). The pureed sauce is a nice gravy, without having to use flour, and was great on garlic mashed potatoes which I served as an accompaniment.

What oven temp did you use?

She's cooking it on the stovetop on very low heat. Step 4 in her recipe. I have cooked mine in the oven at 300 degrees. The article this recipe was featured in suggests a 350 oven

This was great, and well worth following the recipe as written by Florence. One thing I added, following another suggestion, was a squeeze of anchovy paste before a final brief reheat. I also left the vegetables just a bit un-pureed because I had really great, sweet carrots whose flavor needed to remain in some small nuggets.

My brilliant husband had the idea to serve this over gnocchi instead of mashed potatoes. Delicious!

Only one cup of tomatoes (plus paste), 1/2 cup wine, no stock? It doesn't seem like enoigh liquids.

@Wrich515 make sure the cover is tight and the meat will release moisture, cooking it in its own juices

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